Researchers asked 18 young adults with type 1 diabetes to test a new smartphone app designed to help them count carbohydrates and calculate insulin doses. Through four rounds of testing, participants shared what features would actually help them manage their diabetes better. The study found that the best app needs to be personalized to each person, easy to navigate, and should help—not replace—the user’s decision-making. Young adults wanted the app to track their patterns, share information with their doctors, and feel trustworthy when suggesting insulin amounts. These findings could help developers create apps that young people with diabetes will actually want to use.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: How to design a smartphone app that helps young adults with type 1 diabetes count carbohydrates in food and figure out how much insulin to take
- Who participated: 18 young adults (average age 23) who have had type 1 diabetes for about 9 years; about two-thirds were women
- Key finding: Young adults want an app that is personalized to them, easy to use, shows them patterns in their blood sugar, and lets them make the final decision about insulin—not an app that just tells them what to do
- What it means for you: If you have type 1 diabetes and use apps to manage it, future apps may work better for you if developers listen to what actually helps people like you. This research suggests apps should be flexible, trustworthy, and respect your knowledge about your own body.
The Research Details
Researchers created a new app to help with carbohydrate counting and insulin dosing, then asked young adults with type 1 diabetes to try it out. They did this in four separate rounds, with 3 to 5 people testing the app each time. During testing, participants talked out loud about what they were doing and what they thought—a method called ’think-aloud protocol.’ After each round, the researchers listened to what people said, identified problems, and improved the app before the next round of testing.
This approach is called ‘iterative usability testing,’ which means you test, learn, improve, and test again. It’s like getting feedback from your friends on a video game and making it better based on what they say. The researchers then looked at all the interviews together to find common themes and important design lessons.
The study included 18 total participants across all four rounds. The researchers focused on understanding the real-world experiences of young adults living with type 1 diabetes, rather than just testing whether the app worked technically.
This research approach matters because it puts real users at the center of app design. Many apps are built by engineers and doctors without asking the people who actually use them what they need. By listening to young adults with type 1 diabetes, researchers can create tools that fit into their real lives, not just what doctors think they should use. This makes apps more likely to actually help people manage their health.
This study has some strengths and limitations to understand. The strength is that it directly involved the people who would use the app, which gives honest feedback. The researchers also improved the app multiple times based on feedback, which is a good practice. However, the sample size is small (18 people), so the findings may not apply to everyone with type 1 diabetes. The study was also done in one place with one specific app, so results might differ with other apps or in different communities. Additionally, this was a usability study—it tested whether the app was easy to use, not whether it actually improved people’s health outcomes over time.
What the Results Show
The most important finding was that young adults want apps to be personalized to their individual needs and preferences. This means the app should let them customize how it looks, what information it shows them, and how it gives recommendations based on their personal patterns. Participants didn’t want a one-size-fits-all tool; they wanted something that felt like it was made for them.
Second, participants strongly valued having control and making the final decisions about their insulin doses. They appreciated when the app suggested amounts based on their carbohydrate count and blood sugar patterns, but they wanted to be able to override or change those suggestions. They were worried about blindly trusting automation and wanted to understand why the app was recommending something.
Third, the app needed to be easy to navigate and not require too many steps to enter information. Young adults are busy, and if the app was complicated or took too long to use, they wouldn’t stick with it. Clear instructions and familiar language were important for helping people understand what to do.
Fourth, participants wanted the app to show them patterns and trends in their blood sugar and how different foods, exercise, and timing affected them. They also wanted to be able to share reports with their doctors to improve communication about their diabetes management.
Additional important findings included the need for culturally inclusive content and familiar terminology. Participants wanted the app to feel relevant to their lives and communities, not just generic medical language. They also appreciated when the app could integrate different pieces of information—like exercise, diet, timing of insulin, and glucose readings—to give a complete picture of their diabetes management. Participants saw potential for the app to strengthen their confidence in managing their diabetes by helping them understand their personal patterns and trends.
This research builds on previous studies showing that apps can help people with diabetes, but many existing apps are not designed with user input. Other research has shown that people are more likely to use health apps if they feel they have control and if the apps fit their lifestyle. This study confirms those findings and adds specific design recommendations for diabetes apps aimed at young adults. It also addresses a gap—there wasn’t a comprehensive app that combined photo-based food recognition with insulin calculations, so this research helps fill that need.
The study tested only 18 people, which is a small number. The findings may not apply to all young adults with type 1 diabetes, especially those from different cultures, ages, or backgrounds. The study was also done in one location and tested one specific app design, so results might be different with other apps or in other places. Additionally, this study only tested whether the app was easy to use—it didn’t follow people over time to see if the app actually helped them manage their diabetes better or improved their health. Finally, the study didn’t include people with different levels of technology experience, so it’s unclear if the findings apply to everyone.
The Bottom Line
If you have type 1 diabetes and are considering using a carbohydrate counting and insulin dosing app, look for one that: (1) lets you customize how it looks and what information it shows, (2) gives you the final say in insulin decisions rather than forcing you to follow its suggestions, (3) is easy to navigate and doesn’t require many steps, (4) shows you patterns and trends in your blood sugar, and (5) uses language and examples that make sense to you. These features are supported by feedback from young adults who actually use these apps. However, remember that no app should replace talking with your doctor about your diabetes management. Confidence level: Moderate—this is based on user feedback, not long-term health outcomes.
This research is most relevant to young adults (roughly ages 18-30) with type 1 diabetes who are interested in using technology to help manage their condition. It’s also important for app developers, diabetes educators, and doctors who work with young people with type 1 diabetes. Parents of teenagers with type 1 diabetes may also find this helpful when choosing apps for their children. People with type 2 diabetes might find some of these design principles useful, but the research was specifically about type 1 diabetes. If you have type 1 diabetes but are not interested in using apps, this research may be less directly relevant to you.
If an app is designed using these principles, you might notice benefits fairly quickly—within days or weeks—in terms of how easy it is to use and how much you enjoy using it. However, improvements in your actual diabetes management (like better blood sugar control) would likely take weeks to months to become noticeable, and you’d need to use the app consistently. Remember that an app is a tool to support your diabetes management, not a replacement for regular doctor visits and your own diabetes knowledge.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Track how often you use the app each day and rate how easy it was to use on a scale of 1-10. Also note which features you used most (carb counting, insulin calculator, trend viewing, etc.). This helps you understand which app features are actually helpful for your routine.
- Start by using the app for one meal per day for one week to get comfortable with it. Once you’re familiar with how it works, gradually use it for more meals. Focus on the personalization features—customize the dashboard to show the information that matters most to you, and set up any profiles or preferences that match your routine.
- Every two weeks, review the patterns and trends the app shows you. Look for connections between what you eat, your activity, your insulin doses, and your blood sugar readings. Share these insights with your doctor at your next appointment. Over time, you should feel more confident understanding your own diabetes patterns and making insulin dosing decisions.
This research describes how to design a helpful diabetes app based on feedback from young adults with type 1 diabetes. It does not provide medical advice about diabetes management or insulin dosing. Always work with your doctor or diabetes care team before making changes to your diabetes management routine or relying on any app for insulin decisions. Apps are tools to support your care, not replacements for professional medical guidance. If you have type 1 diabetes and are considering using a new app, discuss it with your healthcare provider first.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.